The measure will be put to voters in November

"It would be nice if they sell them and people put something on it," Celestine Anderson said about the vacant lots in her neighborhood.She has been living in the Lower 9th Ward for more than 40 years. After Hurricane Katrina Anderson got some unexpected neighbors."snakes and rats," she said. Anderson has empty overgrown lots on either side of her home."Since Katrina the grass has been cut over here one time and that's it," she said. The lots near Anderson's home are just two of some 600 vacant lots in the Lower 9th Ward.A bill signed by Governor Bobby Jindal last week could bring the lots off the abandoned list and back into commerce. If voters approve, the lots will be sold for a hundred bucks a piece."The bill specifically does not allow developers to be apart of the program," said State Representative Wesley Bishop, who authored the bill.It gives first preference to folks who live next to the vacant lots. The $100 price tag also comes with the agreement that purchasers must build a home on the property and live in the neighborhood for 5 years."Long term renters in the Lower 9th Ward get the opportunity to become first time home owners," Bishop said."Special preference given to former teachers, veterans, first responders and former residents of the Lower 9th Ward," Bishop said.Though the bill affects one neighborhood to move forward it has to be put to voters statewide. For Celestine Anderson the 100 dollar lots will be worth so much more if it means someone will take care of the properties that have just been sitting since the storm.

Copyright 2014 byWDSU.com All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

LOWER 9TH WARD, BUT A BILL JUST SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR COULD PICK UP THE PACE. JUST A HUNDRED BUCKS COULD BUY YOU A PIECE OF THE LOWER NINTH WARD.. IF VOTERS APPROVE. NEW AT 10 -- WDSU REPORTER GINA SWANSON TELLS US WHY SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THE HUNDRED DOLLAR LOTS ARE WORTH SO MUCH MORE WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. GINA'S LIVE IN THE LOWER NINTH.. it would be nice if they sell it and people put something on it 6:18 they just don't have it sitting there like its looking now CELESTINE ANDERSON HAS BEEN LIVING IN THE LOWER 9TH WARD FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS...SHE SAYS AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA SHE GOT SOME NEW AND UNEXPECTED NEIGHBORS... snakes rats and lots and lots of grass ANDERSON HAS EMPTY OVERGROWN LOTS ON EITHER SIDE OF HER HOME. since katrina the grass has been cut over here one time and thats it THE LOTS NEAR ANDERSON'S HOME ARE JUST TWO OF SOME 600 VACANT LOTS IN HER NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT A BILL SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR LAST WEEK COULD BRING THE LOTS OFF THE ABANDONED LIST AND BACK INTO COMMERCE IF VOTERS APPROVE THE LOTS WILL BE SOLD FOR A HUNDRED BUCKS A PIECE. the bill specifically does not allow developers to be apart of the program INSTEAD IT GIVES FIRST PREFERENCE TO FOLKS WHO LIVE NEXT TO THE VACANT LOTS LIKE ANDERSON. THE 100 DOLLAR PRICE TAG...ALSO COMES WITH THE AGREEMENT THAT PURCHASERS MUST BUILD A HOME ON THE PROPERTY AND LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR 5 YEARS. long term renters in the lower 9th ward get the opportunity to become first time home owners special preference given to former teachers veterans and first responders 1:05 and former residents of the lower 9th ward EVEN THOUGH THE BILL AFFECTS THIS ONE NEIGHBORHOOD...T HE MEASURE HAS TO BE DECIDED BY VOTERS STATE WIDE. people in the neighborhood ought to approve they are living here with this mess so we are actually changing state law to just for the lower ninth ward at a reduced value FOR CELESTINE ANDERSON THE 100 DOLLAR LOTS WILL BE WORTH SO MUCH MORE IF IT MEANS SOME ONE WILL TAKE CARE OF THE PROPERTIES THAT HAVE JUST BEEN SITTING FOR YEARS. i guess they dont want to so nothing its no way its supposed to look like this after 10 years THIS WILL GO BEFORE VOTERS STATE WIDE IN THE NOVEMBER ELECTIONS. TURNING TO YOUR EXACTCAST NOW... LIVE LOOK AT